[Dedham, MA]—May 1, 2006-- National Amusements, Inc., a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating more than 1,500 screens in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Russia, launched a unique family oriented program created by Kidtoon Films that features a G-rated film every Saturday and Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., in select U.S. theatres. The program includes a monthly review written by children’s media professional Dr. Donna Mitroff, providing parents with information about the film, content and features, and discussion guidelines for conversation with children after they view the film. The Kidtoon Films program, exhibited by National Amusements, Inc., launches with a dozen G-rated animated movies for 2006 - a new title every month! The program is being rolled out in National Amusements’ Cinema de Lux, Showcase and Multiplex Cinemas in select locations with SHE-RA, PRINCESS OF POWER in “THE SECRET OF THE SWORD,” May’s featured film.
Providing children and families with a quality entertainment experience is very important to us,” said Shari E. Redstone, president, National Amusements, Inc. “Kidtoon Films has created an innovative program that we are proud to offer to our patrons as part of our goal to make our theaters a family friendly community entertainment destination. This is a great addition to our other family focused programs including Bookworm Wednesdays and Baby Pictures.”
Research shows that parents are looking for opportunities to enjoy the big screen theatre experience with their children but find it difficult to locate age-appropriate, family-friendly content in a safe environment. Parents know that their kids need content that is geared to their level in terms of story, humor, action, and character development. They will welcome the opportunity for kids to enjoy entertainment designed for them and feel good about taking their kids to the theatre. The Kidtoon Films program is a welcome addition to the choices for family entertainment.
Every month, Dr. Donna Mitroff, a senior children’s media professional with over 20 years experience and credits in broadcasting, cable and public television, reviews Kidtoon Films movies with an eye just for parents, to let them know what to expect when they take their kids to the movies. Parents can sign up for a monthly newsletter providing information about upcoming films or access the information on Kidtoonfilms.com
“I was so thrilled to learn about the Kidtoon Films program,” said Dr. Donna Mitroff, Ph.D, an adjunct professor in the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California. “What a wonderful opportunity for parents to know that they can take their children to regularly scheduled kids’ matinees at theatres across the country and know that every film will be G-rated and designed specifically for kids 3-9. This kind of assurance is very hard to find these days. In fact, there are typically fewer than five G-rated theatrical films released each year.”
The Kidtoon Films Program can be viewed at the following National Amusements theatres with plans to expand to additional locations in the near future:
California: The Bridge: Los Angeles
Connecticut: Buckland Hills in Manchester
Iowa: Davenport 53 in Davenport
Kentucky: Stonybrook in Louisville
Massachusetts: Blackstone Valley Cinema de Lux in Millbury, Randolph in Randolph, Revere in Revere, Woburn in Woburn, and West Springfield 1-15 in West Springfield
New York: City Center 15 in White Plains, Island 16 in Holtsville
New Jersey: Edgewater in Edgewater
Ohio theatres: Springdale in Springdale, Maumee in Maumee
Pennsylvania: The Bridge: Philadelphia
Rhode Island theatres: Warwick in Warwick
Virginia: Fairfax in Fairfax
Future features include: Arthur, staring in his FIRST-EVER movie, “Arthur’s Missing Pal,” with an all new look in beautiful CGI animation. The Strawberry Shortcake “Sweet Dreams” movie, a brand new CGI feature length film. “My Little Pony: The Runaway Rainbow” featuring the beloved My Little Pony characters in their third and latest new movie.
National Amusements also offers other family friendly programs including Bookworm Wednesdays a fun and rewarding summer reading program developed to encourage young children to read during the summer months. Bookworm Wednesdays is an eight-week program, held in 38 theatres nationally, which entitles kids to free admission to a select children’s film every Wednesday at 10 a.m. when they present a book report at a participating Showcase and Multiplex Cinemas or Cinema de Lux box office.
Baby Pictures offers parents and babies the opportunity to enjoy the latest movies in a baby-friendly setting. The theatre is dimly lit to allow for easy child care in the auditorium. Movie volume is lowered for babies sensitive hearing. We also provide baby changing stations, and an area for strollers to be safely parked.
Tickets for all performances can be purchased in advance at the theatre, by phone or online. Customers who purchase their tickets online can also take advantage of the print at-home ticketing option.
About Kidtoon Films
Kidtoon Films theatrically distributes new G-rated animated movies for kids nation-wide on a regular basis, with a different movie released each month, providing parents with a reliable source of kid-friendly entertainment in the movie theatres. Kidtoon Films is a subsidiary of Sabella Dern Entertainment, Inc. a property creation and animation studio that develops, enhances and brands global intellectual properties. For more information, please visit www.kidtoonfilms.comAbout National Amusements, Inc.
National Amusements, Inc., is a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating more than 1,500 screens in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Russia. National Amusements delivers a superior entertainment experience in theatres around the world under its Showcase, Multiplex, Cinema de Lux, and KinoStar brands. Based in Dedham, Massachusetts, National Amusements is a closely held company operating under the third generation of leadership by the Redstone family. National Amusements is also an equal partner in the online ticketing service, MovieTickets.com, and is the parent company of both Viacom and CBS Corporation.
Viacom is one of the leading global entertainment content companies, with world-class brands that include MTV Networks (MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 100 networks around the world), BET, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment and Famous Music. CBS Corporation is a mass media company with operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, with prominent brands including CBS, UPN, Showtime, CBS Television Stations, CBS Paramount Television, King World, CBS Radio, CBS Outdoor, Simon & Schuster, Paramount Parks, CBS Digital Media Group, CSTV Networks and CBS Consumer Products.
Source: National Amusements Press Release

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